Few foods instantly elevate the comfort quotient of a meal like a basket of warm, baked-from-scratch biscuits, especially when slathered with sweet butter.

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Classic Biscuit

Classic Biscuit

Formed from humble, everyday ingredients—flour, buttermilk, butter, baking powder, salt—biscuits are both economical and versatile. You can serve them for breakfast, pack one as a snack, or use a batch as the foundation for a savory supper or a dessert. Making them takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and even novice bakers can get the hang of the technique with a little practice. Knowing a few tricks, however, always helps. For the lightest biscuits, sift the flour twice before measuring and opt for buttermilk over milk, as the acid in buttermilk combines with baking powder to produce the tenderest baked goods. Finally, try not to overmix the wet and dry ingredients since doing so can toughen the dough and produce less-than-lofty results—save that extra energy for spreading the butter instead.

Classic Biscuit

Formed from humble, everyday ingredients—flour, buttermilk, butter, baking powder, salt—biscuits are both economical and versatile. You can serve them for breakfast, pack one as a snack, or use a batch as the foundation for a savory supper or a dessert. Making them takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and even novice bakers can get the hang of the technique with a little practice. Knowing a few tricks, however, always helps. For the lightest biscuits, sift the flour twice before measuring and opt for buttermilk over milk, as the acid in buttermilk combines with baking powder to produce the tenderest baked goods. Finally, try not to overmix the wet and dry ingredients since doing so can toughen the dough and produce less-than-lofty results—save that extra energy for spreading the butter instead.

Angel Biscuits

Biscuit Toppings

While the classic accompaniment remains butter, biscuits can also support a range of sweet and savory fillings. Pair hot mustard and honey with fried chicken tenders, or try Cheddar spread with roasted turkey and mango chutney. On a sweeter note: Layer Nutella with fresh pineapple, or go the British route with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

Ngoc Minh Ngo

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Breakfast Sandwiches

These homemade sandwiches make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast. If you bake and freeze an extra batch of biscuits in advance, all you'll need to do is reheat a couple in the oven the next time you make eggs and bacon.